Protect state's clean air law; it's a matter of U.S. security

The people of California have always been an inspiration to the rest of the country when it comes to supporting a clean, secure, energy future. We realize that cleaning our air and reducing our dependence on foreign oil is good for the environment, good for our economy, and good for our nation's security.

But some out-of-state oil companies are trying to use fear to put the brakes on California's clean air law, AB32. I believe the people of this great state will see through this greed-fueled attempt to kill progress.

California has always been a leader in innovation and conservation to reduce energy consumption because it makes sense on so many fronts.

This month, the federal government announced that automobiles sold in the U.S. will be cleaner and more fuel efficient. By 2016, the fuel efficiency of cars and light trucks will have to average 35.5 miles per gallon. As a result, the nation will use 1.8 billion fewer barrels of oil and produce nearly 1 billion fewer tons of pollutants over the life of those vehicles.

A recent report found that Californian drivers will save 1.6 billion gallons of gasoline by 2016, saving $4 billion at the pump, while reducing 14 million tons of global-warming pollution — the equivalent of removing nearly 3 million cars from the road for a year.

This is a win-win-win. These clean-car standards will reduce health problems associated with air pollution, lessen our dependence on foreign oil and also save us money at the pump.

These first national limits on pollutants are based on standards we developed right here in California. And, for nine years, they were attacked by the same cast of characters that are now trying to kill our clean air law.

Back in 2001, when I authored the Clean Cars Law (AB1493) that is now the national standard, I immediately faced an onslaught of opposition from oil companies, automobile manufacturers and even conservative radio talk- show hosts. But the people of California didn't buy the fear tactics and continue to overwhelmingly support this measure. Simply put, we want cleaner cars that get better gas mileage.

And now there is growing evidence that cleaning our air is not only about our health and our economy, but also a matter of our nation's security.

A few weeks ago, I chaired a hearing in San Diego titled "Energy Security and Climate Change." This was a real eye-opener. Top military officials testified that cutting our addiction to fossil fuels isn't a tree-hugger issue, but a national security priority.

Among the presenters at the hearing were current high- ranking military leaders from the Navy and the Marines as well as retired Vice Adm.Dennis McGinn. The military leaders stressed the dangers of our nation's over-reliance on petroleum, both because of the strategic and military challenges it poses and because of risks to the economy.

The United States consumes a quarter of the world's oil and much of that comes from countries that are often hostile to us. The U.S. oil supply, even with the proposed increase in drilling, is a very small percentage of the global supply.

"We can't drill our way to sustainability and prosperity," said retired Vice Adm. McGinn, and added that whenever we buy a tank of gas "part of that money inevitably is getting to states that fund terrorism."

The demand for oil will increase with the predicted economic recovery, especially in the emerging economies of China and India. Economists and military experts predict that this global demand will result in high and volatile oil prices and create tensions and potential military conflicts around the world.

Cleaner sources of home- grown, renewable energy and alternative fuels will help ensure a secure energy future and will help to minimize volatile price spikes while creating new jobs.

The secretary of the Navy has committed the Navy and Marine Corps to meet ambitious energy goals, including that half of the Department of the Navy's total energy consumption will come from alternative energy sources by 2020.

That's a much more aggressive target than California's landmark clean air law, AB32. But the miltary believes that the overwhelming risks to national security mean that aggressively cutting back on fossil fuels will keep Americans at home, and those serving overseas, safer.

This of course is bad news for the bottom lines of out-of-state oil companies. Just as they fought California's Clean Cars Law, they are now fighting the implementation of California's clean air law. But the latest Public Policy Institute of California poll shows 66 percent of Californians support AB32.

We know it's vital to the health of our families, the health of our economy and the security of our nation to continue to move toward a cleaner, safer, and more reliable energy future.